Vapor-bath apparatus



oct. 26, 192e.' l1,604,678

D. B. BRUEGGEMAN VAPOR BATH APPARATUS Filed Deo. 24, 1924 I l l c a l .l

Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

vUNITED STATES DONALD B. BRUEGGEMAN, OF ST, LOUIS, MISSOURI.

VAPOR-BATH APPARATUS.

Application filed December 24, 1924. Serial No. 757,781.

lThis invention relates to a new and useful cover for bath tubs, whereby the heat in the tub resulting from the presence of hot water therein may be confined in thetub, and

whereby the bather may derive the beneiit of not only' hot water in the tub, but, also, of the vapor or steam arising therefrom.

lAn object of the present invention is to provide a novel means whereby the occupant of the tub may readilyand conveniently attach the cover to the tub and inclose himself therein without the assistance of others.

It is, also, the purpose of this invention to provide a cover which is Capable of universal application to the divers types of tubs commonly in use.

Another object is to provide an attaching means which will secure the cover to the tub after simple pressure has been exerted thereon, thus obviating the necessity. of tediously and slowly adjusting individually the numerous clamping devicesvfhich have hitherto been commonly used for this purpose.

A further object is to provide a novel means of securing the `attaching means of this invention to `the cover, whereby the strain incident to stretching, pulling, or tugging at the said attaching means is distributed evenly over a comparatively large area of the cover instead of being localized or concentrated at those portions of the cover in immediate connection with the attaching means.

Another object is to provide means whereby the attaching means may be formed practically integral with the cover, thus obviating the possibility of its becoming loose or tearing the cover.

The advantages above set forth and others incident to the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of the preferred form of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which like numbers of reference denote like partswherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottom side of the cover as it appears when extended and with the closure flap open and folded back upon the cover; l

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlargement perspective view of the same with a section through some of the details, but with the closure iiap in closed position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view exhibiting stitchesof thread 17. Each the cover as it appears when applied to a bath tub of the detached rolled edge type;

Figure -4 is a transverse sectional view through a built-in bath tub, illustrating the manner of applying the cover of this invention thereto. Y

A sheet of material 1, preferably of rubber cloth, is of such size and shape as to fold over the edges 2 of the tub. The sheet is provided with an opening 3 designed to tit snugly around the neck of the person taking a bath. In front of the opening 3 is a pair of slits 4` which extend from the opening 3 divergingly toward the lower or foot end of the cover, preferably terminating at points about midway of the length of the cover, so

as to form a flap 5 of that portion of the cloth between thel slits4, which flap 5 terminates at its upper end at the neck opening 3. and may be folded back on the line 6 against the sheet 1 to form 7, which enlarges downwardly from the neck opening 3. VBands 8, preferably, also, of rubber cloth, are sewed to the edges 9 of the flap 5 and the edges 10 of the opening 7. Each band 8 extends along an edge 9 and an edge 10 formed by its respective slit'4, the band doubling upon itself at the lower end of `such slit, as at 11. The bands 8 are folded down and provided with male fastening members 12 and female fastening members 13, the male members 12 of any strip 8 being adapted to engage the female members 13 ofthe same strip 8, so that that portion of a band 8 secured to the flap edge 9 may be` fastened to the remaining port-ion of the same band secured to the opening edge 10 which meets the said edge 9.

A plurality of reinforcing strips 14, pref erably, also, of rubber clot-h, on the underside of the sheet 1 along the marginal edge thereof, and y preferably of the same material embraces the marginal Vedge on both sides of the cover. The binding 15, strips 14, bands 8, and neck opening binding 16 are secured to the sheet 1 in any suitable manner, preferably by of th-e strips 14 bears adhesive attaching means, preferably rubber vacuum cups 18, each having a head 19, and a neck 20 intermediate the head 19.

and the cup proper 18. The necks 2O pass through the openings 21 in the strips 14. On account of the head 19 and Cup 18 being wider than the opening 21, the head 19 is preferably formed independent of the cup are superposed a breast opening c a binding 15,;

'Qin

and neck, and subsequently vulcanized thereto after the neck has been inserted in the opening 21. To obviate the possibility of the vacuum cups becomingloose or tearing the cover, the head 19 is preferably intimatev ly united with or cemented to the strip 14, being preferably vulcanized to the unexposed side of the strip 1li.

In operation, the cups 18 are attache-d t0 the edges 2 lof the tub, the marginal edge of the cover foldingv over the edge of the tub, as shown at 22 in Figure 3, in the event that the tub is of the rolled edge detached type 23. In applying thel cover to a tub 2-1 of the built-in type, exhibited in Figure 4t, the `edge juxtaposed to the Wall 25 may be folded upwardly to lap against the Wall, as at QG. The vacuum cu'ps 18 may, also, be attached to the 'Wall 25, if necessary, to properly lit the cover on' the tub 24.` The breast opening 7, t'v'he-n the flap 5 is open enables the pe-fson in the trib to pass into and out of the tub with the cover attached thereto, and` also, enables a person seated in the tub to reach outside Without removing). the cover. The fasteners 12 and 13 are, also,.ac`cessible from within the tub Whether' the flap 5 be open or closed. Thefvacuum cups 18 are held to the tub by suction when pressed thereon, and hold the cover securely inV place, especially when wetted. The cups 18 not being directly attached to the sheet 1, any unevenress of adjustment of the cups on the-'tub is compensate-d for by the flexibility of the intervening-strips 14, the strain incident to stretching,` pulling, ortugging at the Cups being evenly distributed over a larger" area of the cover instead of being concentrated at those portions of the cover in immediate Contact with the cups.

Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit of all chang-es in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope 0f the following,` claims.

I claim:

1. A cover of the character' described having a plurality of openings therein disposed around its marginal portions and a plurality of vacuum attaching means in the said openv ings, the said means each comprising a cup closingl one end of the opening, ahead closingI the other and cemented to the said cover, and a connecting neck intermediate the cup and its head and passing through ther said opening. f

2. A cover for a bath tub comprising a rubber sli-eet of such size and shape as to completely cover the tub, a plurality of rubber strips secured to the under side of the sheet alongV the marginal edge thereof, each of said rubber strips having an opening therein, a vacuum cup associated with each rubber strip and having an integral neck portion inserted through the said openings in the strip and united. with a head adapted to be confined Within the space between the strip and the cover.

ln testimony whereof l. hereunto my signature.

DGNALD B. BRUEGGEMAN. 

